Heating and ventilating means for buildings



Patented Sept. 1.5, 1925.v

UNITED STATES 1,553,501 PATENT OFFICE.;

.HARRY E. CAMPBELL, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO CAMPBELL METAL WINDOW CORPORATION, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION 0E MARY- LAND.

Application ledvAugust 1,

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HARRY E. CAMPBELL, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore city, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Heating and Ventilating Means for Buildings, of` which the following is a specification. This invention pertains to heat-ing and ventilation of bui1dings,.and has for its objects the better utilization of space; the elimination of some or all of the usual radiators from the floors and walls of a building; the delivery or application of heat'at the points where the cold of the external atmosphere is now most effective and diicult to counteract; and the warming of the glass of the windows so that snow, ice, and moisture willv be prevented from lodging upon and-clouding the same.' l

To these ends the invention consists in providing hollow or box-like Window frames with the interior space suflicient to contain the usual sash-weights, if such be used, and

pipes or conductors for carrying steam, hot

water, or other heating medium; in furnishing said'frames with registers or openings through which air, warmed by contactA with and radiation from the pipes or conductors, may be delivered int-o the room or rooms, or spaces to be heated; and in providing controllable inlets and passages for entrance of fresh air from outside the building, and if desired, for escape of vitiated or impure air from Within the same.

The manner of carrying out my invention will be explained in connection with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one. embodiment thereof, but it is to be understood that while I deem this a quite satisfactory construction, details may be varied considerably if the general principle and features be retained. In said drawings:

Flgure 1 is a front elevation of a window yframe equipped with heating pipes, the

frame being partially broken away to expose the pipes, the covered portions of which are indicated by dotted lines;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section on theline 2 2 of Fig. 1, a portion between the sides being broken away to permit the parts to be shown on an ade uate scale;

Fig. 2a is a simllar view but showing singleinstead of double-glazed sash.

1923. Serial No. 655,102.

Figure 3 is a vertical section on theline 3`3 of Fig. 1, a portion intermediate the sill and head or top of the-frame being similarly broken away or omitted.

Describing the figures more in detail, 1 indicates a window frame formed of iron steel, or. other plate or sheet`metal, pressed or fashioned to produce a hollow or box-like frame of the required dimensions.

pieces according to its size and to the relative convenience of bending, pressing or shaping a single piece of metal, or producing thev frame or any given part or parts The frame may be formed ofl more .or fewerl thereof of separate pieces united by means'4 l .of rivets, bolts, or other fastenings. Or the parts may be electrically welded. Cast metal frames may be employed, but the use of plate or heavy sheet metalis deemed preferable on account of lightness, and lcheapness of construction. when proper equipment for quantity production is provided. The par- V ticular manne'r'of forming the frame is not important and is not a feature of the invention vhere claimed, but material requimentsv are thatv the frame shall be of suitable dimensionsfor the particular place or opening in whichit is to be used, and that the cross sec; tion of the upright side members 2 and 3 shall be such as to a'ord adequate' space for the sash-weights and their cords or chains, and for the housing of pipes 4 or equivalent conducting and radiating bodies, toheat and cause circulation of aconsiderable body of air.

The frame 1 will be formed or' furnished with vertical; runways for the upper and lower-sash, if the double-hung sash be employed, though of coursethe frames may be to bottom of each sash frame v7. Said frames will be made of metal, and may be doubleglazed as seen in4 Fig. 2, orvsingle-glazed as Vseen in Fig. 2. Where double-glazed sash are employed, o enings 8 will be left in the side bars of the rame, through which warm air may enter between the panes of glass, the latter being separated to aord an airspace.

l ployed.

The air being conned in said space, or capable of moving into and out of the same only slowly, forms an insulating body which retards the transmission of heat. The introduction of warm air into the space between the inner and outerl ,panes of glass precludes the deposit thereon of snow or frost, the temperature of the outer glass being thus kept materially vabove the freezing point, and serving to thaw or melt any snow or ice which may settle or tend to form thereon. It also tends to dry off rain or moisture y falling upon the glass.

To permit a1r to enter and tohescape from 'the upright side members 2 and 3 of the window frame, thel opposed or weather faces of said members are cut away as seen in Figs. 2 and 2a, to form openings'9which may extend the full length of the side members, or may be in two separated lengths, one above and the other below the level of the meeting rails of the sashes. In Fig. 3 the opening 9 is shown extending from top to bottom of the window frame 1, and air hence entersthe upright side members of the frame in the lower portion thereof, moves upward in contact with the pipes or conductors 4, thereby being heated and expanded, and flows :outward through said opening in its upper part. Obviously, separate ppenings at the lower and upper part of the frame may be em- To prevent the entrance of iioating matter andlight .objects into the open frame, the

" openings 9 are advisably protectedby wire guards or screens 10. These may be ofany desired construction and applied in any usual or convenient way. I prefer, however, to apply tothe longitudinal edges of the screens 10, metallic sustaining strips 11 and 12 of the form illustrated in Fig. 2.' The strip 11 is produced from a piece of sheet metal longitudinally bent to form a flange 13 perpendicular orv ata right angle to the body 'of the strip, at one side thereof, and is A `14', so that by removing the screws the edge 6e ofthe screen may be .withdrawn from its seat in the folded binder, and the latter left in position on the window frame. The strip 11 so formed and applied thusserves both as a binder or holder for one side 'of the screen 10', Aand as a retaining and guiding member for the inner sash frame 7, as will be seen in I Fig. 2. The flange 13 is provided with holes at intervals to receive screws 16 which'enter tapped holes in the upright wall 17 -of the secondary box 5.

The strip 12 applied to the other longi tudinal edge of the screen 10 is formed of a piece of sheet metal, one longitudinal edge of which is turned or folded back upon the body to a line about midway between the bend and the opposite edge of the strip, thus forming a strip of hook sha e in crosssection, adapted to engage with a similarly formed o-r lfolded edge 18 nof the metal of Athe window frame 1 bounding the opening 9.

The strip 12 may be secured to the screen 10 in any convenient way, -asby soldering, by rivets and washers, or the like. Under this construction and arrangement the screen will be securely held in place, yet lmay be readily removed by simply withdrawing the screws 15, thus releasing the inner edge of the screen and permitting the strip 12 to be drawn outward and disengaged from the folded edge 18 bounding the opening 9.

With the opening or openings 9 arranged as above described and without other air inlet, the air entering and leaving the window frame would be used continuously or for a long time without change other than such as is incident to the inevitable openings present in different parts of la building, due to -open lues, imperfect fitting of sash frames and doors, and other well-known l causes. It is, however, desirable to maintain a constant inflow of fresh air and discharge of vitiated air, and this `may be accomplished simply and eHectively by providing air inlets in the sill portion vor lower part of the window frames 1, communicating or capable of being put into communication with, the upright side members 2 and 3 of the window frame through movement of suitable valves, registers i or dampers.

A simple and. convenient construction 'to this end is illustrated in Fig. 3, where the hollow base or sill portion 19 is shown with an air inlet 2O at its outer or weather side, an opening 21 at its inner side'to permit the direct low of air into the interior of the building, and a controlled. port or passage l 22 at each side of thewindow frame, said passages permitting communication between the interior of the hollow sill 19 of the window frame and the upright passages of the. side members 2 and 3. 'To prevent or permit at will the direct inflow of air through passages -20 and 21, I provide a valve orl damper 23 which may be furnished with a hinge or hinges 24 at its upper. edge, and with an .adjusting rod 25 by which to swing it about the pin or pivot of its hinge or hinges.` y The rod 25 maybe notched on its .lower side, as seenin Fig.v 2, yto engage with each be controlled by a sliding valve or damper ,27 havinga similar control-'rod 28.

Suitable guideways -for thel valve 27 will be. provided.

By-setting the valve vor damper 23 in lts closed position, as indicated in Fig. 2, direct passge of air from the outside to the inside of the building will be prevented, but by opening the damper more or less a direct inflow of air will be permitted. If both valves 27 be left in the closed position in 4which one of said valves is shown in Fig. 3,

no air can pass from outside the building into 'the interior of the vertical side memb ers 2 and 3mi the window frame, but by withdrawing either sliding valve 27 more or less, air entering at the port or opening 20 will be permitted to pass in regulated quantity through the opening 22 land into the weight-box or upright passage of the window frame at the side controlled by the valve 27 so opened. y

In the drawings I have shown a more or less conventional fo'rm or type of radiator or heat conductor, but it is to be understood that this is merely illustrative or suggestive of heat conductin and radiating bodies I generally, and su ject to variation or change as circumstances shall require or suggest. ,The designing and proportioning of such apparatus is matter alling within l the province of the heating engineer, and

vdeterminable largely by the heating medium to be employed, as steam, hot water, or other, and by the relation of the window area to the size or cubic contents of the L building, and like factors or considerations.

The piping shown in Fig. l comprises a1 series of separate pipes 4 connected at top and bottom with headers 29 and 30, a pipe 31 connecting the 'headers 29, a plpe v32 opening from the main 33 into one .of the 'lower headers 30,v and a return pipe 34 passing from the other of the lower headers 30 back to the boiler supplying steam, for which reason. the pipe 34 is shown of smaller diameter as compared with pipe 32 and pipes 4. If hot water be employed, little or no difference in the size of the supply and return pipes will te made. It is possible also to utilize air heated by a suitable furnace or heater, and delivered direct to the window frames, instead of employing steam or water to convey the heat to 4the frames and transfer it to the air within y or passing through the same. I regard steam as the most desirable gnedium Aor agent lfor the purpose, however, since a quite highdegree of yheat will be required owing to the relatively limited available between the outside atmosphere and the in terior of the building at the points where the heat is initiall applied. ,l

Obviously, a li e construction may be employed in connection with the frames of doorways and other openings to the atmosphere. The Ventilating openings 20 and -21 of the sill portion of the window frame, and if employed, the similar Ventilating opening 36 in the top ot the window frame, will be protected by wire gauze or netting against the ingress of insects and light floating matter or objects.

The sash designs illustrated in Fig. 3 are of known type, but in the case of the dou- 35 between the two panes of glass will be omitted at intervals on the upright sides of l l the frame, so that ingress of the heated air shall be possible.

I am aware that it is not broadly new to heat air in the space between the lights of double-glazed sash frames or to deliver heated air thereto, but the general plan of heating byutilization of the box window frames renders such heating of the interspace peculiarly easy, and adds materially to the efficiency of such general plan.

In the construction illustrated in the drawings, space for the rise and fall of the weights of the two sashes is provided, and the heater or radiator is kept within limits which will leave adequate space therefor. Spring-raised or spring-balancedwhich case separateI pipes or radiators vvillA not be required. In all cases the window" frames themselves radiate more or less heat.

v It is obvious that modifications may be4 If a warm-air heater be employed,-the. i

made in the arrangement of the air'inlets and outlets, and' a convenient arrangement and one calculated to produce a free and effective How of the air over the heating ypipes or radiators, will be aii'orded by pr0. vidingthe inlet opening 20 at the outer or weather side of the sill frame, and the outlet opening 36 on theinner side of thehead portlon ofv the frame as above noted, so that the ifresh air shall enterat the sill, pass into the upright sidel portions of the frame, and thence to the outlet at its head. l-In this' way the air will take the natural line or I as a steam pipe is intended to stand for or represent any conduit or main serving to bring steam, hot water, hot `air, or other heating agent or medium from a suitable heater to the box window frame.

I claim:

4l. In a heating plant for buildings, a box frame for a window or opening in the wall thereof, provided in its interior with a heat conductor or radiator, and with openings at or near its lower and upper ends respectively for ingressof cold air and egress of warm air.

`2. A box frame for doorv and wlndow 0penings,\provided in its upright portions with runways for sash Weights and with pipes or radiators for receiving and conducting a heating medium.

3. A box frame for windows and like openings, "provided in its interior with pipes or radiators to receive a heating medium, and having openings at its lower and upper parts `for ingress and egress of air; and a double-glazed sash frame mounted in said window frame and having openings through its sides communicating with the open spaces .of the window frame, through which to receive heated air from the latter.

4. A box frame for windows and like openings, containing in its side members heating pipes or radiators, the sill portion of said frame being provided at its outer or weather side and at its inner side with openings for ingress of outside air and deliver of the same to the space within the buil ing; openings in said sill portion of the frame communicating with the hollow side members of the frame to deliver' fresh air thereto; and valves or dampers controlling the low of air from said sill portion of the frame to the side portions thereof and to the interior of the building.

5. Ametallic box window frame comprising upright side spaces adapted to contain air; a hollow sill portion communicating with said side -portions and provided with an inlet for alr; valves ordampers for openin and closing communication between the sill portion and side portions of the frame; heating pipes or radiators ylocated within said side ortions of the frame and serving to heat t e air entering the same;

and an outlet at the upper part of the frame opening to the interior ofthe building.

6. A metallic box frame for windows and the like, provided with vertically elongated openings in the opposing faces of its upright side members; a metallic retaining and guiding strip secured to said frame at or near one upright boundary of the roximate opening; a screen cover for sai opening, detachabl secured to said strip; and a second meta lic strip secured to the opposite longitudinal edge of the screen cover and folded ,back upon itself, and engaged with a like folded or hook-shaped edge of the opening, formed upon the box frame.

7. A box frame for windows and the like, having Vopenings at its upper and lower ends respectively for ingress and .egress of air; a double-glazed sash frame mounted in said window frame and having openings through its sides communicating with the open spaces of the window frame, through which to receive heated air from the latter; and means for heating the air which enters and' passes through the window frame.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this sppcication. f

ARRYv E. CAMPBELL.

soI 

